Loose-leaf binder



June 26, 1928. 1,675,153

H. R. BENTRUP LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Aug. 16, 1926 Patented June 26, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1, 75,153 PATENT OFFICE.4

HARRY R. BENTRUP, OF ST. LOUIS, IIT ISSOURI, ASSiEG-N'OR TO SIEBE R PRODUCTS MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

LOOSE-LEAF BIND-En; 7

Application filed August 16, 1926. Serial No. 129,418.

This invention relates to loose leaf binders of the type in which the leaves are retained in position by tapes or flexible leafretaining devices that extend through slots or openings in the rear edge portions of the leaves.

One object of my invention is to provide an inexpensive loose leaf binder of the type referred to which is of such design that the tapes can'be kept taut enough to prevent the leaves from sagging when the binder is arranged on edge with the back piece of the cover presented upwardly.

Another object is'to provide a loose leaf binder of the tape type in which the back piece of the cover lies close to'the rear edges of the leaves, thereby enabling the, hinged side members of the cover to be spread out flat or substantially horizontally on a supporting surface.

And still another obj ect of my invention is to provide a loose leaf binder of the tape type, which is of such design that it is not necessary to use two opposed leaf-clamping members on opposite sides of the bundle of leaves, thereby enabling the leaves to be' opened farther or spread out more than ispossible with a tape binder of the kind in which two leaf-clamping members lap over the edge portions ofthe leaves a' considerable distance. Other objects anddesirable features of my invention will be hereinafter pointed out, 7 i

To this end I have devised a binder, which, in its simplest form, consists of tapes or flexible leaf reta'ining devices arranged in slots or holes in the rear edge portions of the leaves and connected at one end to an anchoring means located'at one side of the bundle of leaves, and a securing means located at the other side of the bundle of leaves composed of a member provided with slots through which the tapespass and cams or rockable clamping devices that are adapted to be forced into said slots so as to bind the tapes against the edges of the slots. In the preferred form of myinvention here in illustrated the binder comprises a covercomposed of a back piece and two side members hinged or connected together in such a way as to permit said side members to swing freely relatively to 'said'back, and an anchoring means and securing means of the kind previously referred to carried by the side of the cover.

the side members of the cover folded back so as to illustrate the anchoring means to j which the tapes are permanently attached.

Figure 2 is a plan view, illustrating the. other side member of the cover folded back,

and showing the securing means that is used to hold thetapes taut.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view, taken on the line 3'3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view, illustrating one of the anchoring devices.

Referring tothe drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of my invention,

nently connected atone end to an anchoring means carried by the cover member B and composed of anchoring devices E rockably mounted ona shaft 1 that extends longi tudinally of the cover member l3 through a tubular bearing 2 located on the inner side of said cover member at the extreme rear edge of'saine; The particular shape or form of the anchoring devices E is immateriahso far as my broad deais concerned, but I prefer to use anchoring devices of substantially'angle shape'in outline, each of which comprises a horizontally-disposed leg 3 that laps over the bundle of leaves, and a vertic'allv-disposed leg 4 that projects into-the bundle of leaves through the holes in the leaves that receive the tapes D, as'shown in Figure 3. Asshown in. Figure 4, the horizontal leg ofeach anchoring device is provided-with ears that are bent over one end of the tape so as to attach the tape to said leg. 3

The securing means previously referred to that is used to hold the tapes tautis preferabl-y composed of a member F ofplatelike form that is rockably' mounted on a shaft 5which extendslongitudinallyof tubular member I which the shaft passes, a dependinggripping portion or clamping portion 9 of'less width than the slots 7, and a finger piece 10 that-is adapted to be used either to move the clamping member into operative position or to disengage said member 'from the tapes, so as to releasethe same.

\Vhen it is desired to open the binder it only necessary for 'the user to pull up- -wardlyon the free end portionsofthe tapes D in a direction to exert upward pressure on the finger pieeeslOof the clamping de-.

vices G, thereby withdrawingthe gripping portions 9 of said clamping devicesfrom the slots 7 in "the rnember T and releasing :the tapes. When it is desiredto'bind thetapes,

j the cover of the binderis arranged in the position shown in Figure 3, i. e., with the side member B resting upon a supporting structure and the side member C folded back, thereby enablingthe user to exert a pull on the tapes D in a direction to stretch said tapes taut and force the member F downwardly, so as to clamp the leaves to- *gether. Thereafter, the clamping dcvicesG are "rocked in'a direction to foree the portions 9 of same into the slots 7'init-he member F, thus causingthetapes tobe clamped 'tightly' against the edges of said slots. Pref-- erablyfthe side :membcr B of 'the cover is portions of the ta pes D.

'A rloose leaf binder of the construction above described is-inexpensive to manufacture and'thetapes ofsame can be *kepttaut "enough to preventthe leaves from sagging when the binder is arranged onedgewith the back piece otthe cover presentedup- 'wardly, due -to the ilfact that it is not equipped with a -tape-winding mechanism arranged between theback-piece cf the cover andithe rear edges' oftheleaves, as -is-the general custom in looee-leafbindersof the tape type. Another advantagemf such 'a "binder is that the side members B and G of the cover canlbe spread out flat in substantially the same horizontal plane with the rearedges of-the leaves arranged in close proximity to lhersup orting vsuriace on which the cover rests. rid-still another adwantage 015 such a binder is ithat the "bundle -of leaves are not clamped between two opposed leaf-clamping members that lap over the leaves a considerable distance. In other words, in my binder the leaves are held tightly clamped together by tapes that are connected to anchoring devices E of substantially angle shape in outline Whose vertical legs pro1ect into the hoies or slots in the leaves through which the tapes pass, thereby enabling practically the full width of the leaves to be used fora Writing surface. Anchoring "devices 'E of the lkind above described not only increase the area of the writing surface of the leaves, but they also tend to prevent the tapes from tearing the leaves when the tapes are tightened, because the horizontal legs 3 of same insure adirect pull-on the tapesat a "point a considerable distance inwardly from the rear edges of the leaves.

Having thus described my inventiou,what I claimas new and-desire to secure by Letters *Patent is: i

1. A loose leaf binder, comprising tapes or flexible leaf-clamping members that pass through holes in the leaves, anchoring devices "arranged at one side of the bundle of leaves to which said tapes are connected, said anchoring devicesibeing of substantially angle-shape and arranged with the vertical legs of same projecting into the bundle of,

leaves, andyclamping devices arranged at the opposite'side of the bundle of leaves for :securing said tapes after they have been drawn-taut.

coverthatcomprises side members, hinged on ivotally mountedanchoringdevices carrie "by one of 'said side members and pro xvided with portions that project into holes in the binding edge ofthe-leaves, tapes connected to said anchoring devices and arranged in said holesin thc leaves, a mei'nber carried by the other side member of the cover and provided "with slots through which saidtapes pass, and clampiug devices'pro vided with! portions that are-adaptedto be iforce'el into said "slotsso as to clamp the 'tapesagainst the edges of said slots. v

3. A loose leaf binder provided with a cover that comprises a backipiece and hinged side :members, substantially angle-shaped anchoring devices 1 pivotally 1 mounted on one of said side members and arranged so that theirhorizontal legs lap'over the leaves and their vertical legs project into holesin 'the bundleofleaves, tapes connected to said anchoring devicesiand arranged in said holes in the leaves, a hinged part on the other side member, ofthe .cover provided with slots 2 A iloose leaf binder provided with a :through which .the tapes pass, androckable Y 

